The squad moved like ghosts through the decaying facility, the reason why they were chosen among their peers showed in the way they handled the mission.
Jade, Rico, and Gage took the main entrance, while Skye and Ari slipped in through the west side to find a high vantage point.
Jade kept her storage box close and Rico summoned vortex twins form his storage box, while Gage summoned Hailstorm, resting it on his shoulder.
Their footsteps echoed slightly, the only sound in the eerie silence. The air was thick with dust, and the scent of rusted metal lingered.
"This place is giving haunted house but with guns vibes," Rico muttered, spinning one of his pistols.
Jade shot him a glare. "Focus."
They continued forward, sweeping each corridor with practiced precision.
Meanwhile, on the west side, Ari and Skye found a broken staircase leading to an old catwalk. It was the perfect vantage point. Ari pressed the top of her box, and Requiem appeared in her hands, her fingers instinctively adjusting the scope.
Skye activated her holographic interface, scanning the area. "Still no movement," she whispered.
Ari exhaled. "Something feels off."
Skye glanced at her. "Yeah. That's because it is."
Back at the main entrance, Jade and the others reached a large open hall with crates stacked against the walls. The roof had partially caved in, letting in thin beams of sunlight.
Jade's gut twisted. It was too open.
"Gage, cover the left. Rico, take the right," she ordered, scanning the area.
The moment they stepped forward—
Click.
A barely audible sound beneath Rico's foot.
His body went rigid.
"…Oh, great."
Jade's eyes widened. "Don't—"
BOOM!
The explosion sent shockwaves through the hall, throwing Rico off balance as a blinding light filled the space. Dust and debris flew everywhere.
Then came the sound of rushing footsteps.
Silhouettes emerged from the shadows—hostiles.
Jade didn't hesitate. She pressed her storage box and summoned Eclipse mid-air, flipping it into position. In one fluid motion, she activated Hyper Focus Mode, her vision sharpening as she aimed.
One shot. One down.
Gage slammed his weapon box, summoning Hailstorm, and fired a Shockwave Round at the attackers. The impact sent them flying.
Rico, despite nearly triggering a landmine, grinned as he materialized his Vortex Twins, Teleport Shot blinking him behind one of the enemies before landing a clean shot.
Overhead, Ari's voice crackled through their comms.
"Jade, we've got company outside."
Jade clenched her jaw. "We noticed."
Skye's voice cut in. "I'm picking up reinforcements inbound. We need to wrap this up now."
Jade's eyes narrowed. This mission wasn't just a trap—it was a full-blown ambush.
And they were right in the middle of it.
---